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The  Assassination 

of 
Abraham  Lincoln 


Locomotives  and  Train  Crews 


Excerpts  from  newspapers  and  other 

sources 


From  the  files  of  the 
Lincoln  Financial  Foundation  Collection 


•n\  zmq  o*s:o?n?s~~ 


Cincinnati,  Hamilton  k  Dayton 

DAYTON  &  MICHIGAN  RAILROADS. 


TO  ALL  OFFICERS  AND  EMPLOYEES. 


The  Funeral  Ceremonies  of  the  late  President  of  the  United 
States,  will  take  place  in  the  City  of  Washington,  on  Wednesday, 
the  19th  inst.,  at  12  o'clock,   noon.  *$ 

As  there  will  be  services  held  throughout  the  [Country  in  the 
different  churches  on  the  day  and  at  the  time  above  mentioned, 
I  invite  the  attendance  to  said  service,  at  such  church  as  they 
may  select,  of  all  the  employees  of  these  Roads;  whose  duties 
will  permit.  The  Company  hereby  allows  the  proper  time  for 
such  attendance. 

This  circular  is  not  to  be  understood  so  as  to  interfere  with 
the    running    of  the  several    trains. 

GEN'L  SUPERINTENDENT'S  OFFICE,  >  \  D.   McLA^EN, 

Cincinnati,  0.,  April  18th,  1865.     S  j  »en'l    Supt. 


J 


Digitized  by  the  Internet  Archive 

in  2012  with  funding  from 

Friends  of  The  Lincoln  Collection  of  Indiana,  Inc. 


http://archive.org/details/assassinationofaloclinc 


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1  fwent  singing 


An    exchange    says 
boy   with    aiahiuiugpa 
gaily   down    the  vale,    t^jwhero  a  pow 
with   a  brintllu   rail,    dii  jthe  alfaJJaMiJl 
regale.-     A    bumblebee  icIM  gailj' sail, 
over    the  soft   and.  shady!;v;ak\  to  where 
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tree,  the  loy!  soared  into 


PEAT 


HO»F 


EDWARD  WILCOX. 


tile  tail. ;  .The 
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Another    \Vcl\    Knoivu  (  Itlzcu  Called 

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Mr.    Edwliid    Wilcox,    one  of  Aiich- 

isra'n    Citvt'ai   oldest    anil     best    known 

citizens,   died    at    his    home,     No.    118 

■  ■      I  j  . 

wefct  Eighth  street,!  last  night  at  11:15 

o'clock,  Oi  spinal  trouble.     Mr.  Wilcox 

is  the    lasjt   of   a  family  of  eleven  chil- 

drcnand   was   born    in    Stockbridge, 

Miiss  ,  in  1832,    -Ho  came  to  kichigan 

City  in  18>GJ,  being i an  engineer  on  tho 

Michigan    Central   railroad   from    that 

to|    his    recent,    illness.    !Mr. 


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He  was  married  in:  this  city 

inillSi,  t!o  Mi'ss  Harriet!  A.  De  draff, 
who  Eiirvi'ves  him.  !•    .'•;  !   ■•!         .'  >' 

Tue  depeased  leaves  jthree  children, 
Mrs  '.George  Culborr,  i  Mrs.  Wj  C. 
Fargher  and  Geo.iwl  U  ilcox,  all  of 
thisljity.  I  '  i  ! 

Tneriuper'al   services   will    be    held 

<        1     !  f '  .     j         r 

Friday  afternoon  at  3;;d"clock  frpm  the 

family   residence,    Key.!  VV.  F.  Switzer 
officiating!,  ■■■  -i     , 


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l^eathi  was  causdd  from  cancer  with 
Whicnshej  had  been  afllicted  for  the 
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swinger  of  Indiana. 

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THE  LINCOLN  TRAIN. 


A  Story  From  the  Conductor  of 
the  Train  that -Carried  Presi- 
dent Lincoln's  Body  From 
Baltimore  to  Harrisburg. 


Washington  has  been,  and  is,  the 
home  of  many  men  and  women  who 
have  had  a  part  in  the  historical 
events  of  moment  in  this  country. 
Many  times  we  have  heard  the  story 
from  those  who  were  in  various  ca- 
pacities associated  with  President  Lin- 
coln, but  I  cannot  recall  that  1  ever 
saw  or  heard  a  detailed  account  from 
any  one  connected  with  the  funeral 
train  that  carried  President  Lincoln's 
body  to  its  final  resting  place  in 
Illinois. 

Living  here  in  Washington  is  the 
man  who  was  conductor  on  the  train 
that  carried  President  Lincoln's  body 
from  Baltimore,  Md.,  to  Harrisburg, 
Pa.  He  .  was  christened  "William 
Henry  Harrison  Gould,"  and  he  say3 
his  conduct,  has  been  such  that  he 
has  never  found  occasion  to  change 
his  name.  Several  years  ago  he  re- 
tired from  active  service  on  the  rail- 
road, but  he  is  still  active,  optimistic, 
and  will  not  admit  that  he  s  over  32 
years  old,  which  is  really  not  half  his 
age. 

He  is  one  of  those  ante-belleum  fel- 
lows, who  saw  service  on  the  rail- 
road when  engines  were  given  stately 
names  instead  of  lowly  numbers, 
burned  wood,  instead  of  coal,  and 
when  fuel  was  needed  would  stop  at 
the  first  wood  pile  sighted  and  replen- 
ish. 

His  forefathers  came  from  Toppes- 
feld,  England,  with  John  Cabot  in 
1638,  and  landed  at  Salem,  Mass., 
finally  settling  10  miles  west  of  Sa- 
lem in'  Essex  County,  at  a  place  named 
by  the  Indians,  "She-we-ne-mede," 
meaning  new  meadows.  The  Goulds 
did  not  fancy  the  Indian  name  and  re- 
named it  "Topsheld,"  and  the  town 
continues  to  this  day. 

William  Henry  Harrison  Gould  was 
born  on  the  old  Gould  homestead  at 
Topsfield,  and  spent  the  early  years 
of  his  life,  there.  When  neariiig  his 
majority  the  roving  bug  hit  him  and 
he  started  out  to  see  the  world  and 
make  his  fortune. 

Railroading  seemed  the  most  fasci- 
nating and  exciting  to  him.  and  early 
in  18G2  he  obtained  a  positon  as  a 
brakeman  with  the  Northern  Central 
Railway,  which  is  now  a.  part  of  the 
great  Pennsylvania  Railroad  System. 
Promotion  was  rapid  in  those  days, 
and  in  four  months  time  young  Gould 
was  promoted  to  brakeman  oh  a  pas- 
senger train.  One  year  later  he  was 
promoted  to  baggage  master  on  tiie 
road,  and  in  another  year  was  pro- 
moted to  conductor  of  a  passenger 
train  running  from  Baltimore,  Md., 
to  Harrisburg,  Pa.,  with  his  headquar- 


ters at  Baltimore. 

"On  the  evening  of  April  14,  1865, 
the  date  President  Lincoln  was  shot," 
said  Conductor  Gould,  "I  had  finished 
my  round  trip  and  was  tired  and  \\  ent 
to  bed  early.  The  morning  of  the 
15th  of  April  I  walked  over  to  the 
Calvert  Street  Railway  Station,  Balti- 
more, arriving  there  about  7.  a.  m. 
When  I  reached  the  rear  entrance  to 
the  station  I  noticed  that  all  traffic 
on  the  railroad  was  ae  a  standstill.  I 
asked  the  gateman,  Simon  Goldstein, 
why  no  trains  were  running.  He  said: 

"  'Mine  Gott,  don'  you  hear  de 
news?' 

"  'No,'  I  said.      'What   is  the  news?' 

"  'Lincoln  was  kilt  last  night,'  said 
Goldstein,  'and  Stanton  is  kilt,  and 
everybody  Is  kilt,  and  you  done  it,  git 
out  of  here.' 

"I  did  get  out  and  began  to  observe 
what  was  going  on.  The  station  was 
crowded  with  soldiers;  they  had  taken 
charge  of  it.  People  were  allowed  to 
go  into  the  station  but  no  one  was  al- 
lowed to  leave.  About  noon  an  order 
was  received  from  Washington  to  re- 
lease the  people,  who  numbered  sev- 
eral hundred.  In  the  afternoon  trains 
began  to  run  again. 

"After  Goldsteih  had  accused  me  of 
being   guilty    of   the    death   of   Lincoln 
and  others  I  began  to  study  about  the 
matter    and    thought    I    had    better    go 
home.       To    learn     of    the    murder    of 
President     Lincoln      very      much     de- 
pressed   me,    and    to    be    accused    of    it 
;  made    me    feel    much    worse.      I    went 
,  home  and  lay  down  on  the  bed.  I  told 
j  my   wife   if  any  one   called   for   me   to 
j  tell    them    I    was    out.       After    I    had 
I  rested    for   about    half   an    hour    I    be- 
!  gan    to    feel    better    and    went    out    on 
the    street.      Noticing    many    buildings 
and    flags    draped     in     black,     I    went 
home  and   hung   out   my  flag,   draped 
in  black.      By  this  time  I  felt  normal 
and   had  a  mind  to   go  and   see   Gold- 
stein and  tell  him  what  I  thought,  but 
reconsidered. 

"Conductors  in  those  days  took 
their  regular  turn,  and  it  just  so 
happened  that  on  the  morning  of 
April  21,  1865,  I  was  next  out  About 
12:30  p.  m.  I  was  notified  by  the  sta- 
tion master  that  I  was  to  act  as  con- 
ductor on  the  special  train  that  was 
to  carry  President  Lincoln's  body 
from  Baltimore  to  Harrisburg.  At 
the  time  I  gave  no  special  importance 
to  this  run.  but  since  then  I  have 
been  exceedingly  gratified  that  1  had 
it.  The  car  in  which  President  Lin- 
coln's body  was  carried  was  built  by 
a  Mr.  Lamson  at  Alexandria,  Ya.  It 
was  built  on  the  lines  of  our  present- 
day  parlor  cars,  but  much  less  elab-  . 
orate.  The  outside  of  the  car  was  ' 
painted  dark  brown,  and  [he  inside 
was  varnished,  showing  the  grain  of 
the  wood.  There  were  no  fixed  seats 
in  the  car,  but  there  were  several  easy 
chairs. 

"The  train   was  made  up   of  an   en- 
gine   that    burned    coal,    one    baggage 
car,    seven    first-class    passenger    cars, 
and    in    the    rear   was    the    funeral    car. 
The    train    was    equipped    with    hand 
brakes.      In    the    baggage    car   we   car- 
ried   the   remains   of   William  Wallace  i 
Lincoln,    the    12-year-old    sun    of    the  J 
President,      who      died      in      February,  I 
1S62,   and    had    been    buried   in   a   cem- 
eterv  at  Georgetown. 


"In  the  train  crew  was  the  engineer, 
two  firemen,  one  baggage  man,  two 
brakemen.  one  conductor  and  myself. 
So  far  as  I  know,  I  am  the  only  living 
member  of  that  crew,  and  50  years 
time  has  erased  all  their  names  from 
my  memory.  Capt.  George  W.  Ham- 
bright  had  general  supervision  of  the 
pilot  train  and  funeral  train.  The  en- 
gine and  cars  of  the  train  were 
decked  m  the  habiliments  of  mourn- 
ing. 

"The  coffin  in  which  President  Lin- 
coln's body  lay  resteu  on  three  tres- 
tles securely  fastened  to  the  floor  of 
the  car.  Over  these  was  crepe.  Straps 
were  fastened  to  the  trestles  and 
buckled  around  the  coffin  to  hold  it 
secure.  The.  coffin  was  very  large  and 
appeared  to  be  about  seven  feet  long 
and  fully  three  feet  wide.  It  was  cov- 
ered with  black  cloth,  and,  besides  the 
four  silver  handles  <>n  either  side, 
there  was  considerable  silver  decora- 
'  U«ns  m  ioi  in  of  wreaths.  On  the  lid 
of  the  coffin  was  an  engraved  silver 
plate,    which    read: 

ABRAHAM  LINCOLN, 

16th    President    of    the   United    States. 

Born    Feb.    12,    1809. 

Died   April    15,    1865. 

"I  was  in  the  funeral  car  at  various 
times  in  my  line  of  duty.  A  part  of 
the  time  the  face  lid  was  removed 
from  the  coffin,  and  I  had  several  op- 
portunities of  seeing  the  face  of  the 
martyred  President.  His  face  was 
calm  and  peaceful.  He  looked  as  if 
he  were  asleep  in  pleasant  dreams. 
The  body  was  dressed  in  black,  with 
white  shut  and  black  tie.  I  was  in- 
formed that  the  suit  he  had  on  was 
the  suit  he  wore  at  his  first  inaugu- 
ration. 

"None  of  the  train  crew  were  in 
uniform — in  fact,  in  those  days  no 
uniform  was  worn  by  passenger  train 
crews.  I  wore  a  black  suit  of  clothes 
and  black  hat.  On  the  front  of  my 
hat  I  wore  a  plate  marked  'Conduc- 
tor.' 

"There  were  about  75  people  on  ] 
the  train  beside  the  train  crew.  There 
were  no  women  on  the  train.  During 
the  trip  the  men  moved  back  and 
forth  thru  the  train.  They  were  a 
distinguished  looking  group  of  men, 
but  sad  and  solemn.  Practically  all 
of  their  talk  was  of  the  greatness  and 
goodness  of  Lincoln,  and  his  untimely 
death.  There  were  many  men  on  the 
train  who  were  soldiers,  but  none 
were  in   uniform. 

"Each  member  of  the  train  crew, 
and  all  of  those  who  were  entitled  to 
ride  on  the  train,  wore  a  special  badge. 
This  badge  was  their  ticket  of  trans- 
portation. Of  course,  I  was  very  care- 
ful to  see  that  every  person  riding  on 
the    train    was   entitled    to   do  so. 

"Ten  minutes  before  the  special 
train  pulled  out  of  Baltimore  a  pilot 
engine  and  one  passenger  car.  in 
charge  of  Capt.  George  B.  Kaufman 
and  brakeman,  with  a  crew  started 
ahead  of  the  special  train  for  Harris- 
burg. Just  at  3  o'clock  on  the  after- 
noon of  April  21.  1S65,  I  gave  the-en- 
gineer  the  signal  to  start  for  Harris- 
burg. The  engine  gave  a  shrill  whis- 
tle and  rhe  train  slowly  passed  the 
depot.  There  was  an  immense  crowd 
around  the  station  at  Baltimore  to  see 
the  train  leave,  but.  they  were  very 
quiet. 


"As  we  left  Baltimore  the  weather 
was  cloudy  and  warm.  Our  first  stop 
out  of  Baltimore  was  Parkton,  Md., 
for  water.  The  next  stop  was  at  York, 
Pa.,  again  for  Water.  These  two  stops 
were  the  only  stops  made  between 
Baltimore   and   Harrisburg. 

"■yVhen  the  train  stopped  at  York  a 
delegation   of  six  ladies  were  allowed 
to    enter    the    funeral    oar    and    lay    a 
large  wreath   on  the  coffin.      At  every 
cross  road  there  were  crowds  of  peo- 
ple,   and    as   the   funeral    train    passed! 
them  the  men  took  off  their  hats,  and  ■ 
I   noticed   many,   both   men  and   worn-  j 
en,     who     shed     tears     as     the     train  | 
passed.      It  was  the   most   solemn   trip 
I  ever  took  on  a  train.     Everybody  on 
the   train    was   solemn    and    everybody 
the  train  passed  was  solemn. 

"Just  at  8  o'clock  the  train  pulled 
into  Harrisburg.  The  sky  was  cloudy, 
and  there  was  a  fine  dizzle  of  rain.  It 
seemed  to  me  that  nature  was  weep- 
ing because  of  Lincoln's  death. 

"After  pulling  into  the  station  I  re- 
mained in  charge  of  the  train  until 
the  President's  body  was  taken  from 
the  funeral  car  to  be  taken  to  the 
State  Capitol  in  Harrisburg;  then  I 
was  relieved  by   the  yard  crew." 

Mr.  Gould  has  always  been  an  opti- 
mist. His  mind  is  stored  with  pleas- 
ant memories  of  the  past.  He  holds 
ill  T"il|  toward  r.cne.  His  is  a  life  well 
spent,  and  at  the  end  there  will  be  no 
remorse.  "May  he  live  long  and 
prosper." 


Elias    Tov     90    „ 
citrlTlV0*  °f  ^rtr,t\hS^    to    he 


Ph 

hfs   hom 


,ew   Tork 
e  in   Philad'eiph 


died    A,,"    Phi,ade] 
a   Augrust   22 


at 


PORTER,  WILLIAM       —     RECALLS  LINCOLN1  S  FUNERAL   —     MEMBER  OF  TRAIN  CREWJ 


\  oa-  '    '. 


^counts    Trip 
Of  Lincoln's 
Funeral  Train 

Probably  the  last  living  member  of 
the  train  crew  that  brought  the  body 
of  Abraham  Lincoln  from  Chicago  to 
Spring-field,  following  the  assassination 
of  the  martyred  president,  resides  at 
Jerseyville.  This  man  is  William  i^o,  • 
ler,  who  in  1S61  enlisted  in  the  145th 
Illinois  •infantry.  He  was  mustered  out 
of  the  service  in  the  fall  of  the  .same 
year  and  went  to  work  for  the  Chicago 
Sc  Alton  as  a  brakeman.  The  day  be- 
fore the  funeral  train  was  due  to  arrive 
a  dozen  brakemcn  were  summoned  be- 
fore the  assistant  superintendent  and 
told  to  get  ready  to  go  to  Chicago  and 
bring  the  funeral  train  through.  In 
speaking  of  the  trip  recently  Jlr.  Por-  , 
ter  said: 

"J.  C.  McAIullen,  assistant  superln- 
I  endent  of  the  Chicago  division,  had 
charge  of  the  train,  but  George  Hewett, 
an  old  passenger  man,  was  given  the 
assignment  as  conductor.  As  I  remem- 
ber it,  the  funeral  train  consisted  of 
;\  baggage  car,  several  ordinary  coaches 
and  the  cala.fa.lquo  dii-  -which  was  the 
second  car  from  the  rear  end  of  the 
train.  The  funeral  car  was  specially 
arranged  for  carrying  the  body  of  the  I 
president.  A  crack  New  York  regiment  ' 
escorted  the  body  and  performed  guard  ' 
duty  during  the  entire  trip  from  Wash- 
ington to  Springfield.  Four  guards  were 
posted  in  each  car,  two  at  each  end  and 
no  one  was  allowed  to  enter  the  train 
without  a  permit. 

"The  head  officials  of  the  Chicago  & 
Alton  took  special  pains  to  guard 
against  an  accident.  All  bridges  were 
guarded  and  switch  rails  at  obscure  sid- 
ings were  securely  spiked  down.  All 
regular  trains  were  ordered  to  take  the  • 
siding  an  hour  before  the  special  was  J 
scheduled    to   pass. 

Lincoln  Picture  on   Engine. 
"The  two  locomotives  selected  for  the 
trip    were    No.     40    and    No.    57.      They 
were   wood    burners,    with   old-fashioned 
iialloon     smoke     stacks.       Russian     iron 
jackets,    brass    dome,    brass    sand    box, 
brass   bell  frame,   six   inch   brass   bands 
encircling    the     boiler    about     four    feet 
apart,  and  all  brass  parts  nicely  polish- 
ed.    Henry  Russell  was  the  man  at  the 
ihrottlc  of  No.  40  and  James  (Jim)  Cot- 
ton was  the  man  at  the  throttle  of  No.  ' 
,c>7,  which  served  as  pilot  engine.  Direct-  I 
ly  under  the  headlight  was  the  picture  , 
of  the  martyred  president,  don"  in  cray- 
on,  and   in   a  circular  frame   or   wreath 
of   flowers   about   five  feet    in   diameter. 
"On   the  evening  of  May  2,   the   train 
was    backed    into    the   union    station    at 
Chicago   to   take   the   body   of  the   dead 
president.     The  funeral  cortege  left  the 
i-ourt    house    in    Chicago    at    6    o'clock. 
The  hearse  was  drawn  by  six  black  stal- 
lions,  each   attended   by   a  negro  groom 
in   uniform.      The   train   left    Chicago   at 
7:30    o'clock    and    only    stopped    at    the 
larger  stations.     At  all  stops  the  people 
congregated,  grim  visa^-ed  men  and  wo- 
men,   with    tear    bedimmed    eyes.      The 
throngs  were  silent.     The  train  arrived 
in  Springfield  the  next  morning.     A  vast 
crowd    had    gathered.      When    the    pilot 
engine   arrived   at   the    outskirts   of   the 
,."iry,  it  stopped  and  waited  for  the  fun- 
i  erai  train.     It  was  then  coupled   to  the 
regular  train  and  entrance  was  made  to 
Springfield.     It  took  over  two  hours  to 
go   that   many   miles.     It   was   indeed  a 
funeral  of  the  people." 


•T 


J  U  ■•*... 


,/  n ..  • 


e  -A  ■,; P®ters°n.  u''  Chicago,  lormern 
of  Dekalb,  sends  a  picture  of  Frank 
H.  Pond,  who  was  fireman  on  the 
train  that  carried  Lincoln  from 
Cleveland  to  Erie  in  1861.  As  the 
same  crew  was  chosen  to  brin-  Fin- 
coin  s  body  back,  and  as  the  engineer 
bad  m  the  mean  time  died,  he  ,Va< 
engineer  of  the  train  that  brought 
Lincoln's  body  from  Erie  to  Cleve- 
land,  1865.     A   picture  of  the  engine, 

-i  ne   Reindeer,'1  was  also  enclosed. 


V 


c 


/        More  About  Lincoln's  Funeral  Train 

To  the  Editor:  "    Brooklin':.  Mass. 

Several  weeks  ago  there  appeared  a  photograph  of  the  Lin- 
coln funeral  tram  on  the  Illinois  Central  at  Chicago,  and  tins 
with  the  accompanying  paragraph,  leads  me  to  reply 

Relative  to  the  locomotive  Nashville;  in  Bulletin  No  16 
issued  by  this  society,  is  an  article  covering  briefly  the  histo  y 
ot  the  present  Bag  hour  System.  An  illustration  appears  of 
he  locomot.ve  Nashvdle  draped  and  ornamented  for ?he  pur- 
pose of  hauling  the  tram  from  Cleveland  westward  Tins 
locomotive   was  owned  by   the   Cleveland,   Columbus   &  Cine 

>n      i"S    T,  bU,ltf  ^    thC    Cuyah°ga    VVorks>    ClevdSS, 
in    June,    1852,    and    so    far    as    the    records    show     ua< 

Z ™     -7.°,r.r,Un.0"  any  other  road  than  the  C.  C.'&  C.  or  ib. 


■n.june,    18,2,    and    so    far    as    the    records    show  '  w .,        , 
°«-ned  by  or  run  on  any  other  road  than  the  C.  C  '&  C    (       lu 
roads  ot   winch  it  became  a  part.     It  is  absolutely  safe  to    a 
that  this  locomotive  never  saw   the  N.   C.   &  St    L    or  any  of 
its  predecessors.     Locomotive  nomenclature  in  those  cays  wa 
not   confined    to   the    locality   of    the    road.     Just    how    far   the 

Nashv.lle'  hauled  the  train,   I   do  not  know      Jt    s   no    at  al 
unhkely   that    at    Gabon,    Ohio,    a    locomotive    f ron     the   B die 

ontame    Ratlway    Company    carried    it    to    Indianapolis    or    at 
Last  over  one  ot   the  divisions.     1   doubt  verv  much    L 
peopL   state,   that  the   "Nashville"   ran   ^S  ^VlnSZ 

w-fh  ti:ivrewh  that  hai ^^t£°ssE 
::td  ttttr obtamabk'' would  make ;  « 

Presid^u,  Railway  arld  Locomotive  ^lLfs!SX. 

KSW  YOKK  CITY  RAILWAY  AGS 

WLX  26,  1950 


Engineer  Recalls  Sombre  Trip 
Of  the  Funeral  Train  of  Lincoln 


Wrightson  Is  Believed  to 

Be  Last  Surviving 

Pilot 


REDLANDS,  Cal.,  Feb.  12  (A.  P.)— 
Shrouded  in  black  bunting  and  draped 
with  American  flags,  a  sable  train  rolled 
slowly  over  the  New  York  Central 
tracks  from  New  York  to  Utica  between 
lines  of  silent,  grieving  people. 

One  of  the  cars  carried  the  body  of  a 
slain  President,  Abraham  Lincoln. 

In  the  engine  cab  ol  the  funeral 
train,    slowly    tolling   tm    bell    as   the 


miles  passed,  sat  George  W.  Wrightson, 
who  now  believes  he  is  last  of  six  en- 
gineers, picked  for  ability,  who  piloted 
the  train  from  Washington  to  Spring- 
field. 

At  each  switch,  Wrightson  peered 
acutlously  from  his  cab.  Each  switch 
had  been  spiked,  to  prevent  tampering 
until  the  train  had  passed.  The  cortege 
was  given  right  of  way  over  all  other 
traffic. 

"When  we  reached  the  depot  at  Syra- 
cuse, the  train  was  greeted  by  the  most 
impressive  demonstration  I  have  ever 
seen,"  Wrightson  recalls. 

"The  trainshed  was  covered  with  the 
national  colors  and  black  festoons.  An 
immense,  silent  throng  waited  hours 
to  glimpse  the  cortege." 

There    were   five   cars    in    the    train, 


carrying  members  of  the  Lincoln  fam- 
ily, Government  officials,  the  casket 
and  newspaper  men.  They  were  the 
first  Pullmans  to  run  on  a  New  York 
Central  track. 

The  front  of  the  engine  bore  a  por- 
trait of  the  martyred  President.  At 
sight  of  the  picture  and  the  draped 
locomotive,  throngs  along  the  track 
drew  back.  Some  waved  6mall  flags. 
Others  wept  openly.  When  the  train 
had  passed  they  stepped  to  the  track 
and  watched  it  fade  into  the  distance. 

Wrightson,     eighty-eight,     la     nearly 

blind  and  retired  from  railroading  after 

I  fifty-three  years'  service.  >\Y  ujvdii  i  -,M' 


PILOT  RECALLS  SOMBER  RUN 

OF  LINCOLN'S  FUNERAL  TRAIN 


George  W.  Wrightson  (right)  believes  he  is  the  last  of  engineers  who 
piloted  Lincoln's  funeral  train  over  the  route  shown  in  map.  Lincoln  is 
shown  as  he  appeared  when  president. 


REDLANDS,  Cal.  — (A.P.)  — 
Shrouded  in  black  bunting  and 
draped  'with  American  flags,  a  sable 
train  rolled  slowly  over  the  New 
York  Central  tracks  from  New  York 
to  Utica  between  lines  of  silent, 
grieving  people. 

One  of  the  cars  carried  the.  body 
of  a  slain  President,  Abraham  Lin- 
coln. 

In  the  engine  cab  of  the  funeral 
train,  slowly  tolling  the  bell  as  the 
miles  passed,  sat  George  W.  Wright- 
son,  who  now  believes  he  is  last  of 
six  engineers,  picked  for  ability,  who 
piloted  the  train  from  Washington 
to  Springfield. 

At  each  switch,  Wrightson  peered 
cautiously  from  his  cab.  Each 
switch  had  been  spiked,  to  prevent  I 
tampering  until  the  train  had 
passed.  The  cortege  was  given 
right-of-way  over  all  other  traffic. 

"When  we  reached  the  depot  at 
Syracuse,   the   train   was  greeted   by 


the  most  impressive  demonstration 
I  have  ever  seen,"  Wrightson  re- 
calls. 

"The  train  shed  was  covered  with 
the  National  colors  and  black  fes- 
toons. An  immense,  silent,  throng 
had  waited  hours  to  glimpse  the 
cortege." 

There  were  five  cars  in  the  train, 
carrying  members  of  the  Lincoln 
family,  Government  officials,  the 
casket  and  newspapermen.  They 
were  the  first  Pullmans  to  run  on  a 
New  York  Central  track. 

Tlie  front  of  the  engine  bore  a 
portrait  of  the  martyred  President. 
At  sight  of  the  picture  and  the 
draped  locomotive,  throngs  along 
the  track  drew  back.  Some  waved 
small  flags.  Others  wept  openly. 
When  the  train  had  passed  they 
stepped  to  the  track  and  watched 
it  fade  into  the  distance. 

Wrightson,  SS,  is  nearly  blind 
and  retired  from  railroading  after 
53  years  service. 


ENGINEER   RECALLS   LINCOLN    RITES  | 


On  96th  Birthday,  Railroader 

Tells    Piloting    Train 

of    Mourners 


As  he  celebrated  his  96th  birthday 
today,  George  E.  Buck,  veteran  rail- 
road man  of  Santa  Monica,  told  how 
he  was  the  one-man  crew  of  a 
special  train  bearing  mourners 
from  Decatur,  111,  to  the  funeral 
of  Abraham  Lincoln,  martyred 
president  of  the  United  States,  at 
Springfield,  111,  just  after  the  close 
of  the  Civil  war. 

"I  was  running  a  work  train  back 
in  the  60's  for  the  Toledo.  Wabash 
and  Western  railroad,"  he  said.  'The 
order  came  through  to  make  up  a 
three-car  special  train  for  the 
mourners.  It  seemed  like  everybody 
wanted  to  go.  I  took  the  tickets, 
fired  the  engine  and  then  drove 
the  train  to   Springfield. 

"Buck"  ran  away  from  home  to 
work  on  a  railroad  when  he  was 
12  years  old.  He  retired  58  years 
later.  He  claims  to  be  the  oldest 
living  Master  Mason  in  the  United 
States.  He  was  made  a  master  mas- 
on in  Summit  City  lodge,  Fort 
Wayne,  Ind,  on  May  6,  1859,  but 
now  is  a  member,  of  Sunrise  lodge 
in  ho»  Angele*,      » 


George  E 


appears 


J    today  celebrating  hi»  96th  birth- 

daj  ■  _. - — 


HE    DRAPED   LINCOLN'S   FUNERAL   ENGINE 


Martin    Fetter 


THE  drap- 
ing of  a 
locomotive 
which  hauled 
President  Lin- 
coln's funeral 
train,  says 
Martin  Fetter, 
stands  out  in 
bold  relief  in 
his  memories  of 
51  years  of 
railroading. 
Fetter,  now  82, 
told  of  the  in- 
cident at  his 
home,  1712 
East  Ninth 
Street,  Cleve- 
land, Ohio. 

"  I  was  a  lad  then,  not  more  than  fifteen,"  he 
began.  "  When  I  reported  for  work  on  April 
17,  1865,  I  was  surprised  to  find  Engine  No.  40, 
the  '  Dispatch,'  standing  on  a  siding  with  a  large 
crowd  around  her.  I  was  gaping  at  the  crowd 
when  the  boss  came  over  and  said :  '  That  engine's 
going  to  pull  President  Lincoln's  funeral  train  out 
of  Cleveland  and  Fd  like  you  to  help  trim  her.' 
"  Grabbing  some  waste,  I  started  by  shining 
up  the  brass  around  the  cab.  For  a  time  I  worked 
alone.  Then  the  engineer,  Bill  Simmons,  and 
the  fireman,  Joe  Denslow,  came  over  with  the 
boss's  daughter,  Lavina  Hamm.  They  had  white 
and  black  bunting  and  a  large  portrait  of  Lincoln 
in  a  gilt  frame.  I  assisted  Bill  in  putting  up 
the  picture  right  out  in  front  of  the  engine,  then 
we  fastened  several  yards  of  bunting  around  it. 
Joe  and  Lavina  draped  the  sides.  Before  they 
got  through,  I  climbed  on  top  and  muffled  the  bell. 


"  All  in  all,  it  was  a  pretty  job.  Between  the 
folds  of  hunting  you  could  see  the  blue  enameled 
sides,  and  there  was  a  gold  stripe  showing  above. 
After  that  I  hurried  up  to  the  square  where  Abe 
Lincoln  had  been  lying  in  state.  I  wanted  lo 
get  a  last  look  at  him.  But  I  was  too  late.  They'd 
taken  him  away." 

By  a  strange  coincidence,  Fetter  also  helped  to 
drape  the  engine  of  President  Garfield's  funeral 
train  in  VVellsville,  Ohio,  sixteen  years  later.  In 
1015  he  retired  from  the  Pennsylvania  Railroad 
after  51  years  of  continuous  service.  Starting 
work  in  a  roundhouse  in  the  fall  of  1864,  he  be- 
became  a  fireman  in  July,  1865,  and  an  engine- 
man  in  March,  187 1.  All  of  his  runs  were  over 
the   Cleveland  &   Pittsburgh  division. 

Probably  the  only  "  rail  "  now  living  who  knew 
and  conversed  with  Abraham  Lincoln  is  C.  N. 
Coursey,  of  Mt.  Carmel,  111.,  a  retired  Big  Four 
engineer. 

Ben  E.  Chapin,  editor  of  The  Railroad  Em- 
ployee, who  interviewed  Brother  Coursey  a  short 
time  ago,  reports  that  he  is  still  "  rugged  and 
well  preserved,  despite  the  toll  exacted  by  the 
passing  years." 

Coursey  began  his  railroad  career  as  a  passen- 
ger brakeman  on  the  B.  &  O,  July  10,  1862, 
before  he  became  fifteen  years  old.  He  recalls 
the  fact  that  it  was  President  Lincoln's  custom 
to  shake  hands  with  the  engine  and  train  crew. 
On  one  occasion  the  conductor  asked  Mr.  Lin- 
coln : 

"  Why  do  you  bother  shaking  hands  with  the 
engineer  and  fireman,  whose  hands  are  always 
covered  with  soot  and  grease?" 

The  President's  reply  was: 

"  That  will  all  wash  off,  but  I  always  want  to 
see  and  know  the  men  I  am   riding  behind." 

That's  the  kind  of  fellow  Lincoln  was. 


DRAPED  ENGINE 
OF  DEATH  TRAIN 


Martin  Fetter,  82,  Helped  to  Dec- 
orate Locomotive  Which  Drew 
Lincoln's  Funeral  Oar. 


The  draping  of  a  locomotive  which 
hauled  President  Lincoln's  funeral 
train,  says  Martin  Fetter,  stands  out 
in  bold  relief  in  his  memories  of  51 
years  of  railroading.  Fetter,  now  82, 
told  of  the  incident  at  his  home,  1712 
East  Ninth  St.,  Cleveland,  Ohio. 

"I  was  a  lad  then,  not  more  than  15," 
he  began.  "When  I  reported  for  work 
on  April  17,  1865,  I  was  surprised  to 
flnd  Engine  No.  40,  the  'Dispatch," 
standing  on  a  siding  with  a  large 
crowd  around  her.  I  was  gaping  at  the 
crowd  when  the  boss  came  over  and 
1  said :  'That  engine's  going  to  pull 
1  President  Lincoln's  funeral  train  out 
of  Cleveland  and  I'd  like  you  to  help 
trim  her.' 

"Grabbing  some  waste,  I  started  by 
shining  up  the  brass  around  the  cab. 
For  a  time  I  worked  alone.  Then  the 
engineer,  Bill  Simmons,  and  the  fire- 
man, Joe^Denslow,  came  over  with  the 
boss's  daughter,  Lavina  Hamm.  They 
had  white  and  black  bunting  and  a 
large  portrait  of  Lincoln  in  a  gilt 
frame.  I  assisted  Bill  in  putting  up 
the  picture  right  out  in  front  of  the 
engine,  then  we  fastened  several  yards 
of  bunting  around  it.  Joe  and  Lavina 
draped  the  sides.  Before  they  got  thru. 
I  climbed  on  top  and  muffled  the  bell. 

"All  in  all,  it  was  a  good  job.  Be- 
tween the  folds  of  bunting  you  could 
see  the  blue  enameled  sides,  and  there 
was  a  gold  stripe  showing  above.  After 
that  I  hurried  up  to  the  square  where 
Abe  Lincoln  had  been  lying  in  state.  I 
wanted  to  get  a  last  look  at  him.  But 
I  was  too  late.  They'd  taken  him 
away." 

By  a  strange  comcidence,  Fetter  also 
helped  to  drape  the  engine  of  Presi- 
dent Garfield's  funeral  train  in  Wells- 
ville,  Ohio,  16  years  later.  In  1915  he 
retired  from  the  Pennsylvania  Rail- 
road after  51  years  of  continuous  serv- 
ice. Starting  work  in  a  roundhouse  in 
the  Fall  of  1864,  he  became  a  fireman 
in  July,  1865,  and  an  engineman  in 
March,  1871.  All  of  his  runs  were  over 
the   Cleveland   &   Pittsburgh   division. 

Probably  the  only  railroad  worker 
now  living  who  knew  and  conversed 
with  Abraham  Lincoln  is  C.  N.  Cour- 
sey,  of  Mt.  Carmel,  111.,  a  retired  Big 
Four  engineer. 

Coursey  began  his  railroad  career  as 
a  passenger  brakeman  on  the  B.  &  O., 
July  10,  1862,  before  he  became  15 
years  old.  He  recalls  the  fact  that  it  I 
was  President  Lincoln's  custom  to' 
shake  ha.nds  with  the  engine  and  train  | 
crew.  On  one  occasion  the  conductor ' 
asked  Mr.  Lincoln:  i 

"Why  do  you  bother  shaking  hands ! 
with  the  engineer  and  fireman,  whose 
hands    are    always    covered    with    soot 
and  grease?" 

The  President's  reply  was: 

"That  will  all  wash  off,  but  I  always 
want  to  see  and  know  the  men  I  am 
riding   behind." 


{•in 


"•    ■ 


IT) 

qo 


— — 

a, 

be 

o 

'*- 


(2 


bo 


CLEVELAND    PLAIN     DEALER    |  WEDNESDAY,    AUGUST     12,     1936 


Running  the  Locomotive  of  Lincoln's  Train 


A  HIS 

BY  S.  J.  KELLY. 

Engineer  Ernest  A.  Mebus  looked 
down  from  his  cab  window  of  the 
"Sam  Hill,"  the  historic  engine  that 
drew  Lincoln  into  Cleveland  on  his 
visit  in  1861.     Mebus  said : 

"You  say  you  can  run  her?  Get 
up  here  and  let's  see  you  do  it." 

So  I  climbed  into  the  cab. 

But  let  me  describe  the  Sam  Hill 
as  I  stood  beside  her  in  the  yard 
of  the  "Parade  of  the  Years."  She  is 
a  glittering  locomotive:  flaring  wood- 
burning  stack,  with  a  little  fancy 
crown  around  the  top,  brass  covered 
cylinders;  brass-capped  steam  and 
sand  domes;  shining  high  whistle; 
real  pointed  cow-catcher  and  pol- 
ished wood  cab.  She  rolls  through 
the  gate  at  the  left  of  the  parade 
drawing  the  historic  train.  She  is 
the  eight-wheeled  type,  four  drivers, 
four-wheeled  "pony  truck,"  connect- 
ing rods  and  burnished  pin  caps, 
that  handsome  old  type  of  passen- 
ger engine  of  our  boyhood  days.  She 
was  built  in  1S60. 

"Wait  till  I  get  you  a  coat  and 
cap." 

Orders. 

Engineer  Mebus  swung  down  the 
steps  leaving  me  alone.  I  took  oc- 
casion to  look  things  over.  There 
was  no  need  for  extra  clothes. 
Everything  in  the  cab  was  clean  as 
a  parlor  car.  The  boiler  was  sheathed 
with  smooth  steel.  Around  the 
edges  ran  brass  mouldings.  A  shin- 
ing brass  water  gauge  and  three 
brass  water  gauge-cocks  sianted 
across  the  boiler.  Straight  ahead  of 
the  engineer's  seat  was  the  whistle 
lever.  Above  the  bell  cord  ran 
through  pulleys  above  the  fireman's 
seat  and  through  an  eye-hole  at  the 
front  of  the  cab.  Two  great  rods 
riveted  to  the  boiler  reached  to  the 
frame  below  the  floor. 

Then  the  reverse  lever,  that  big 
upright  lever  at  the  side  !  A  heavy 
sector  to  guide  it,  with  notches, 
arches  up  from  the  floor  before  the 
engineer's  seat.  You  grasp  the  lever 
at  the  top,  a  spring  clasp  pulls  the 
ratchet  out,  and  you  throw  it  for- 
ward if  you're  "going  ahead"  or 
backward  if  you're  going  to  "back 
up." 

Engineer  Mebus  climbed  up  again. 
Jacket  and  coat  were  soon  on.  He 
said:    "Now,    you    say    you    can    run 


rORIC  MEMORY  OF  OLD  CLEVEI 

this  engine.  What's  the  next  thing 
to  do?" 

I  looked  at  the  steam  gauge.  It 
registered  twenty  pounds.  A  brass 
plate  on  the  boiler  said  it  took  1-5 
pounds  to  run  the  engine.  We  had 
a   half   hour   before   the   act. 

"Well,  I  think  we  had  better  get 
steam    up,"    I   answered. 

Firing   Up. 

He  laughed,  opened  the  fire  door, 
stirred  up  the  fire,  threw  in  wood, 
and  I  noticed  he  threw  in  a  pretty 
good  lump  of  coal.  He  opened  the 
dampers  by  pulling  notched  levers 
that  came  up  through  the  floor, 
turned  the  valve  of  the  forced  draft, 
a  steam  pipe  that  leads  to  the  smoke 
stack,   and   soon   the   tire   roared. 

"Next  we  will  oil  the  steam 
valves." 

He  took  one  of  the  burnished  oil 
cans  from  its  shelf  on  the  boiler  and 
we  swung  down  and  went  forward. 
He  unscrewed  the  fancy  old  grease 
cups  from  the  steam  chests  and 
poured  in  the  oil.  1  glanced  along 
that  fine  old  engine  with  her  brass 
hand  rails,  and  driving  wheel 
guards,  and  looked  up  from  her  neat- 
ly striped  cow-catcher  to  her  impos- 
ing headlight  before  the  stack.  There 
you  can  faintly  see  the  name  "Presi- 
dent." 

Henry  Ford  was  bound  to  find  the 
engine  that  brought  Lincoln  to  this 
city  on  that  memorable  day.  Way 
down  on  the  Sattilo  River  in  Georgia 
they  found  her  puffing  around  a  lum- 
ber yard.  The  lumber  yard  had 
named  her  the  Sattilo.  Then  in  192U 
Engineer    Mebus    had    proudly    driven 


.AND. 

her  into  Detroit.  He  has  been  work- 
ing for  Henry  Ford  ever  since. 

The  President  was  a  wreck.  They 
rebuilt  her,  polished  her  up,  rebuilt 
her  cab,  placed  walnut  base  boards 
around  her  tender,  let  the  name  of 
her  last  owner  remain  on  the  tender, 
the    Atlantic    &   Gulf    R.    R. 

We  were  up  in  the  cab  again.  The 
steam  was  up  to  125  pounds.  I  took 
the  engineer's  seat  and  "threw  her 
over,"  way  down  to  the  last  notch. 
I  got  the  signal  and  gently  pulled 
the  throttle.  Slowly  and  sedately 
we  lolled  out  on  the  stage  of  the 
"Parade  of  the  Years"  drawing  Lin- 
coln's   train. 

Everything  is  vividly  true  to  life 
in  that  great  show.  Lincoln  descends 
from  his  car  with  his  shawl  over 
his  shoulders  as  he  did  that  drizzly 
morning  of  Feb.  15.  He  stoops 
slightly,  but  with  his  tall  plug  hat 
he  towers  over  the  reception  com- 
mittee. His  face  is  serious  and 
thoughtful.  The  Cleveland  Grays 
are  there.  Mrs.  Lincoln  enters  the 
carriage,  the  president  follows  and 
they  start  on  that  long  slow  drive 
down  Euclid  Avenue  from  E.  55th 
Street. 

Then  I  threw  that  big  lever  over 
again,  backward,  though  I  had  to 
brace  against  the  rods  of  the  boiler, 
pulled  her  throttle  and  with  bell 
ringing  we  slowly  rolled  back  again, 
pushing  Lincoln's  funeral  car  be- 
fore   us. 

We  ran  down  to  the  gate  and  1 
brought  her  to  a  stop.  The  Sam 
Hill  and  the  draped  car  ahead  rocked 
slightly   when   taking  the  switches. 


REAL  ESTATE  ■  MORTGAGE  LOANS  ■  FIRE  INSURANCE 

Sffis  915    FIFTH    AVE.     PHONE    2836l 

HUNTINGTON,  W.VA. 


April  4,    1944 


Mr«  Louis  A.  Warren,  Director 
Lincoln  National  Life  Foundation 
Fort  Wayne,  Indiana 

Dear  Mr.  Warren; 

I  have  a  letter  from  my 
cousin,  Mr.  George  H.  Pancake,  and  he  tells  me  that 
he  has  had  some  correspondence  with  you  regarding 
sending  you  some  pictures  of  a  train  on  which  Abraham 
Lincoln  once  road0  He  is  under  the  impression  that 
you  have  him  mixed  up  with  me  as  you  mentioned  having 
met  him  at  one  time* 

He  sent  me  two  pictures 
to  mail  on  to  you,  which  I  am  enclosing,  herewith. 

With  kindest  personal, 
hoping  that  you  will  stop  in  to  see  us  every  time 
that  you  are  in  our  city.     ^ -_ 


fours  very  tVul 


3aul 
president 


PCP:el 

cc/Mr.  George  H.  Pancake 


April  7,  19H 

Mr.  Paul  C.  Pancake,  President 
Pancake  Ilealty  Company 
915  Fifth  Ate. 
Huntington,  V.  Va. 

My  dear  Mr.  Pancake: 

Thank  70a  very  much  for  forwarding  the  pictures  of 
the  old  engine  which  pulled  the  Lincoln  funeral  train  and  we 
are  pleased  Indeed  to  have  them. 

Begret  having  confused  you  with  your  cousin  and  poseihly 
on  my  next  visit  to  Huntington  I  will  have  an  opportunity  to 
aeethoth  of  yon. 

Very truly  yours, 
LAWjVM  Director 


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Bulletin  of  the  Lincoln  National  Life  Foundation    -----     Dr.  Louis  A.  Warren,  Editor 
Published  each  week  by  The  Lincoln  National  Life    Insurance    Company,   Fort   Wayne,    Indiana 


Number  895 


FORT  WAYNE,  INDIANA 


June  3,  1946 


PILOTING  THE  LINCOLN  FUNERAL  TRAIN 


Many  boys  of  twenty-five  years  ago  or  more,  who  lived 
in  small  towns,  remember  the  Memorial  Day  parades 
which  gave  them  the  opportunity  to  march  in  the  pro- 
cession with  the  tottering  members  of  the  G.A.R.  As  an 
aftermath  of  Decoration  Day,  as  it  then  was  called,  it 
would  seem  timely  this  year,  to  compile  some  facts  re- 
lating to  the  first  American  memorial  procession — the 
funeral  train  of  Abraham  Lincoln  which  passed  from  the 
Potomac  River  to  the  Prairies. 

Possibly  the  most  controversial  subject  relating  to  the 
famous  train  is  the  identity  of  the  engineers  who  piloted 
it  and  the  names  of  the  engines  used  to  draw  the  funeral 
coaches  from  one  metropolis  to  another.  There  are  some 
traditions  extant  holding  that  but  one  engine  was  used 
for  the  entire  trip.  Charles  E.  Fisher  in  1930,  then  the 
President  of  the  Railway  and  Locomotive  Historical  So- 
ciety, made  this  suggestion,  "A  list  of  the  roads,  the  loco- 
motives, and  the  train  crews  that  handled  this  historic 
train,  together  with  such  photographs  as  are  obtainable, 
would  make  a  valuable  record  for  railroad  history." 

This  monograph  is  an  attempt  to  compile  such  data 
as  may  help  to  some  day  achieve  this  end.  Although 
limited  space  will  make  it  necessary  to  confine  the  infor- 
mation to  the  names  of  the  railroads  operating  the  trains, 
the  names  of  the  engineers  and  the  numbers  or  names  of 
the  locomotives  including  the  pilot  engine,  under  their 
charge. 

WASHINGTON  TO  BALTIMORE 
The  Baltimore  and  Ohio  Railroad  over  whose  lines  the 
funeral  train  first  moved  has  claimed  that  its  famous 
engine  "Number  23"  later  called  the  "William  Mason," 
headed  the  funeral  train  from  Washington  to  Baltimore. 
This  engine  is  the  same  one  which  brought  Lincoln  into 
Washington  from  Baltimore  in  1861  and  also  was  used 
for  part  of  the  Gettysburg  trip  in  1863.  A  contemporary 
news  item  states,  however,  that  engine  "Number  238" 
drew  the  train  and  that  it  was  a  new  locomotive  made 
at  the  Mount  Clare  works.  Thomas  Beckett  was  the  engi- 
neer. "Number  239,"  the  pilot  locomotive,  was  draped  in 
mourning  and  William  Galloway  was  the  engineer. 

BALTIMORE  TO  HARRISBURG 
The  conductor  on  the  funeral  train  traveling  over  the 
Northern  Central  Railroad  from  Baltimore  to  Harrisburg 
was  William  Henry  Harrison  Gould,  but  in  his  remi- 
niscences preserved  in  1915  he  could  not  recall  the  name 
of  the  engineer  of  his  train  or  the  engineer  of  the  pilot 
engine. 

HARRISBURG  TO  PHILADELPHIA 
The  Pennsylvania  Railroad  took  charge  of  the  train 
at  Harrisburg  using  engine  "Number  331"  with  engineer 
John  E.  Miller  as  pilot. 

PHILADELPHIA  TO  JERSEY  CITY  AND  NEW  YORK 
The  Camden  and  Amboy  Railroad  was  utilized  to  move 
the  funeral  train  from  Philadelphia  to  Jersey  City.  Upon 
arriving  there,  the  funeral  car  was  taken  on  the  ferry 
boat  "New  York"  to  New  York  City. 

NEW  YORK  TO  ALBANY 
One  of  the  most  picturesque  parts  of  the  itinerary  was 
the  trip  over  the  Hudson  River  Railroad  as  far  as  Albany. 
The  pilot  engine  used  was  the  "Constitution"  and  the 
engine  pulling  the  train  was  the  "Union,"  with  George 
W.  Wrightson  as  engineer  of  the  latter. 

ALBANY  TO  BUFFALO 

The  New  York  Central  Railroad  was  used  to  convey 
the  remains  from  Albany  to  Buffalo.  One  of  the  largest 
engines  on  the  road,  the  "Dean  Richmond,"  pulled  the 
funeral  train. 


BUFFALO  TO  ERIE 

The  funeral  train  left  Buffalo  over  the  Lake  Shore 
Railroad,  but  the  Erie  and  North  East  Railroad  was  oper- 
ating at  this  time  the  different  roads  between  Buffalo 
and  Erie. 

ERIE  TO  CLEVELAND 

The  train  from  Erie  to  Cleveland  over  the  Cleveland, 
Painsville  and  Ashtabula  R.R.  used  the  same  personnel  as 
far  as  possible  that  had  previously  manned  the  train 
carrying  Mr.  Lincoln  East  in  1861.  The  same  engine,  the 
"William  Case"  was  also  used,  and  John  Benjamine  was 
the  engineer.  The  "Idaho"  served  as  the  pilot  engine  with 
J.  W.  McGuire  in  charge. 

CLEVELAND 

Martin  Fetter  who  helped  to  decorate  engine  "Num- 
ber 40"  also  known  as  the  "Dispatch"  claimed  it  took  the 
train  out  of  Cleveland  but  it  was  probably  used  as  a 
switch  engine  to  move  the  train  as  the  account  states: 
"The  locomotive  of  the  Cleveland  and  Pittsburgh  Rail- 
road, tastefully  decorated,  took  the  train  in  its  reverse 
position  and  drew  it  to  the  Euclid  Street  Station.  The 
engineer  was  Bill  Simmons. 

CLEVELAND  TO  COLUMBUS 

While  it  is  claimed  by  some  authorities  that  "The 
Nashville"  took  the  train  from  Washington  to  Spring- 
field it  did  have  its  share  in  the  task  of  hauling  the 
coaches.  The  engine  was  built  at  the  Cuyahoga  Works 
in  Cleveland  in  1852  and  was  operated  by  the  Cleveland, 
Columbus  and  Cincinnati  R.R.  over  whose  tracks  the 
funeral  train  moved.  The  engineer  in  charge  of  "The 
Nashville"  was  George  West  and  it  was  preceded  by 
the  pilot  engine  "Louisville"  with  E.  Van  Camp  at  the 
throttle. 

COLUMBUS  TO  INDIANAPOLIS 

In  the  comment  by  Mr.  Fisher  who  doubted  if  "The 
Nashville"  ran  all  the  way  to  Indianapolis  this  supposi- 
tion has  been  verified  in  the  discovery  of  a  contemporary 
news  notation  which  states  that  the  funeral  train  left 
over  the  Columbus  and  Indianapolis  Central  Railroad 
with  Mr.  James  Gourley  as  engineer  but  the  name  of  the 
engine  and  pilot  engine  and  its  operator  are  not  given. 
INDIANAPOLIS  TO  LAFAYETTE 

While  we  are  under  obligation  to  a  reporter  of  the 
Indianapolis  Journal  for  much  information  about  the 
funeral  train  from  the  time  it  left  Indianapolis  until  it 
reached  Springfield  he  fails  to  make  known  certain  facts 
we  would  like  to  know  about  the  Indianapolis-Lafayette 
segment  of  the  trip  which  was  evidently  made  over  the 
Lafayette  and  Indianapolis  Railroad. 

LAFAYETTE  TO  MICHIGAN  CITY 

Our  reporter  for  the  Journal  states  in  his  dispatch 
dated  May  1,  Lafayette,  Ind.,  3:35  A.M.:  "The  steam 
engine  'Persian'  handsomely  decorated  now  bears  us  on 
under  the  charge  of  a  cautious  and  experienced  engineer 
Mr.  A.  Rupert.  Mr.  Rhodes  is  engineer  in  charge  of  the 
pilot  engine  'Rocket.'  The  road  traveled  was  the  Louis- 
ville, New  Albany  and  Chicago  Railroad." 
MICHIGAN  CITY  TO  CHICAGO 

The  same  reporter  in  a  notation  dated  May  1,  Michigan 
City,  8:30  AM.  states  "The  engine  'Ranger'  .  .  .  and 
the  pilot  engine  'Frank  Valkenberg'  are  ready  for  our 
accommodation."  These  engines  conveyed  the  party  over 
the  Michigan  Central  lines  into  Chicago. 
CHICAGO  TO  SPRINGFIELD 

The  depot  of  the  Chicago,  Alton  and  St.  Louis  Railroad 
was  profusely  decorated  and  over  its  line  the  last  journey 
of  the  lamented  President  was  to  be  taken.  Henry  Russell, 
engineer  of  the  pilot  engine  "Number  40"  was  the  first 
to  leave  the  station  followed  in  ten  minutes  by  engine 
"Number  58"  with  engineer  James  Colting  at  the  controls. 


The  Record 
1975 


Vol.  36 


Friends  of  the  Library 
Washington  State  University 


Pullman,  Washington    99163 


1975 


the  canceled  trains  and  salaries  of  idled  employees,  the  loss  business- 
wise  was  estimated  to  be  at  least  an  additional  $20,000.  After  the  war 
was  ended,  the  government  paid  in  full  for  the  physical  damage. 

Morgan  did  not  tarry  at  Salem  because  Union  forces  were  known  to  be 
on  the  way.   One  contingent,  made  up  of  men  from  Lafayette  and  nearby 
counties,  were  ordered  to  move  southward  over  the  LNA^C.   On  reaching 
Bloomington  the  train  halted,  no  one  knowing  if  the  track  south  was  still 
intact,  nor  did  anyone  know  the  whereabouts  of  the  Confederate  force. 
The  soldiers  left  the  train  and  scattered  over  the  town.   They  were  told 
the  engineer  would  blow  the  whistle  as  a  signal  to  bring  them  back  in 
time  for  departure.   But  the  soldiers  apparently  were  not  content  with 
this  assurance,  and  when  they  were  recalled  it  was  discovered  that  all 
coupling  pins  had  been  withdrawn  and  hidden.   After  these  were  retrieved, 
the  train  got  under  way  and  proceeded  slowly,  with  scouts  ahead  on  hand- 
cars.  When  the  train  reached  Orleans,  the  citizens  spread  a  generous 
feed  and  the  band  played  on.   What  then  happened  is  not  recorded  but  it 
seems  probable  that  this  contingent  became  a  part  of  the  other  forces 
mustered  to  pursue  Morgan  eastward. 

Certain  it  is  that  the  Confederate  leader  moved  on,  crossing  the 
Jeffersonville  Railroad  at  Vienna  in  Scott  County,  burning  bridges  and 
indicting  much  other  damage.   At  Vernon  and  Dupont  in  Jennings  and  Jeff- 
erson counties,  there  was  great  damage  to  the  Madison  §  Indianapolis  Rail- 
road.  The  Ohio  £j  Mississippi  Railroad  suffered  extensive  damage  as  the 
raiders  moved  toward  Ohio.   There  at  Libson,  the  war's  farthest  northern 
Confederate  penetration,  the  force  was  scattered  and  Morgan  was  captured 
July  26,  only  to   escape  November  27,  return  to  the  South  and  continue 
his  military  service  before  being  killed  in  a  gooseberry  patch,  clothed 
in  his  nightshirt,  nigh  a  year  later  at  the  age  of  thirty-nine  on  Septem- 
ber 4,  1864  at  Greenville,  Tennessee,  the  home  of  Andrew  Johnson,  soon  to 
become  the  seventeenth  President  of  the  United  States. 

Then,  almost  eight  months  later  to  the  day,  came  the  surrender  at 
Appomattox  Court  House  April  9,  1S65  and  the  horrible  war  was  ended.   But 
an  event  that  became  a  great  tragedy  lurked  in  the  hearts  of  a  band  of  re- 
vengeful evil  conspirators.   John  Wilkes  Booth  fatally  wounded  President 
Abraham  Lincoln  at  Ford's  Theatre  April  14,  and  Lincoln  died  the  next  day. 

After  lying  in  state  in  the  Capitol,  funeral  services  were  conducted 
in  the  White  House  and  Lincoln  was  then  taken  home. 

Preceded  by  a  pilot  locomotive  with  traveling  engineer  and  fireman 
and  a  caboose  with  a  supporting  traveling  crew,  the  Lincoln  exequial  train 
of  nine  immaculate  new  cars  left  Washington  at  8:00  A.M.,  April  21.   The 
locomotive  and  all  cars  were  draped  in  mourning  throughout  the  journey  to 
Springfield.   The  train  stopped  at  Baltimore,  Harrisburg,  Philadelphia, 
New  York,  Albany,  Buffalo,  Cleveland,  Columbus,  Indianapolis,  and  Chicago. 


(55) 


This  2, 000-mile  journey  took  twelve  days.   At  each  of  the  scheduled  stops, 
the  body  lay  in  state  and  thousands  passed  the  open  casket,  paying  respect 
to  their  deceased  leader.   Along  the  line,  solemn  and  weeping  people 
were  at  every  town,  village,  whistle  and  flag  stops,  and  wooding  and  water 
stations.   In  the  countryside,  grieving  people  stood  beside  the  track  bidd- 
ing farewell  to  the  train  that  disappeared  in  the  distance. 

The  day  before  arrival  at  Indianapolis,  the  body  lay  in  the  rotunda 
of  the  Capitol  at  Columbus.   The  train  departed  that  place  at  8:00  P.M., 
on  what  was  then  the  Columbus  q  Indianapolis  Central  Railway  -  later  the 
Pennsylvania.   Arrival  in  Indianapolis  was  at  7  o'clock  the  next  morn- 
ing, Sunday  April  30,  and  the  casket  was  taken  reverently  to  the  State 
House  and  there  placed  on  a  noble  catafalque.   Indiana  had  been  Lincoln's 
home  from  the  time  he  was  seven  until  approaching  his  twenty- first  birth- 
day.  He  had  always  received  strong  Hoosier  political  support  and  when 
in  the  state  enroute  to  or  from  Washington  was  given  much  ovation.   Now 
the  expressed  affection  and  respect  was  more  pronounced  than  ever.   Rain 
that  fell  continuously  did  not  deter  a  multitude  from  turning  out  en 
masse.   Present  was  a  Kentucky  delegation  headed  by  Governor  Thomas  E. 
Bramlette.   Shortly  before  midnight  the  body  was  taken  to  the  Union  Depot 
and  entrained  for  Chicago. 

Governor  Oliver  Hazard  Perry  Throck  Morton  and  his  suite,  and  a 
group  of  dignitaries,  had  met  the  funeral  train  at  Richmond  and  remained 
aboard  as  far  as  Michigan  City. 

Although  this  sad  trek  has  been  described  in  detail  in  many  accounts 
of  Lincolniana,  the  railroad  operational  facets  have  been  overlooked  or 
ignored.   In  the  case  of  the  Monon,  extant  records  document  the  honored 
role  of  the  railroad  between  Lafayette  and  Michigan  City  -  another  Civil 
War  chapter  in  its  history. 

The  funeral  train  left  the  Union  Depot  at  Midnight  over  the  Lafayette 
§  Indianapolis  Railroad,  was  transferred  to  the  Monon  track  at  Lafayette 
Junction,  and  arrived  at  Lafayette  at  5:45  A.M.,  May  1.   Even  at  this 
early  hour  a  large  crowd  had  gathered  at  the  station  and  a  hundred  or  so 
lined  the  street  down  which  the  track  ran.   The  train  moved  by  slowly, 
the  whole  scene  dimly  lit  by  bonfires  kindled  at  intervals.   It  arrived 
at  Michigan  City  at  8:55  A.M.,  where  a  brief  stop  was  made  with  the  fun- 
eral car  spotted  under  a  draped  memorial  arch  ...that  had  been  erected  for 
the  occasion. 

The  good  women  of  the  city  served  a  hot  breakfast  of  corn- fed  ham, 
bacon,  eggs,  fried  potatoes,  gravy,  biscuits,  and  berry  pie.   There 
was  milk,  coffee,  English  and  sassafras  tea.   Tables  were  spread  for 
four  hundred  people,  including  a  delegation  from  Chicago. 


(56) 


After  this  traditional  Hoosier  hospitality,  the  train  proceeded  on 
its  way,  reaching  Chicago  at  11  o'clock  over  the  tracks  of  the  Michigan 
Central  and  Illinois  Central  railroads  from  whence,  after  two  days,  it 
would  go  to  Springfield  over  the  Chicago  £  Alton  Railroad. 

From  Lafayette,  the  train  traveled  slowly  -  25  miles  per  hour.   The 
published  timetable  and  special  regulations  for  this  carriage  were  issued 
by  the  Director  and  Manager  of  Military  Railroads,  Brevet  Brig.  Gen.  D.C. 
McCallum.   The  train  departed  each  station  ten  minutes  behind  the  pilot. 
It  passed  through  towns  with  tolling  bell  at  a  speed  not  exceeding  five 
miles  an  hour.   Telegraph  offices  were  kept  open  during  the  entire  passage; 
when  a  station  was  cleared  the  operator  at  once  gave  notice  to  the  next 
station  up  the  line.   The  pilot  was  not  permitted  to  pass  any  station 
without  first  getting  information  of  the  funeral  train  having  passed 
the  last  station,  coming  to  a  full  stop  if  necessary. 

An  attended  signal  was  shown  at  every  switch  and  bridge,  and  at  the 
entrance  upon  every  curve.   Each  attendant  personally  had  to  know  that 
all  was  safe.   The  track  signal  from  Lafayette  until  broad  daylight  was 
a  white  light  and  from  that  time  to  Michigan  City,  a  draped  white  flag. 
During  darkness  the  pilot  carried  red  markers  and  a  draped  American  flag 
during  daylight.   Both  the  pilot  and  funeral  train  had  absolute  right  to 
the  line  during  this  passage;  opposing  trains  were  sided. 

Eighteen  sixty-five  was  an  important  year  in  the  life  of  the  LNA^C. 
A  new  era  began  -  an  era  of  successful  expansion,  development,  and  refine- 
ment that  also  was  at  once  an  era  of  trial  and  trouble. 


Lincoln  funeral  train  attracted  crowds 

Even  in  the  middle  of  the  night,  mourners  gathered  with  lamps  and  bonfires 

By  Bob  Kriebel,  For  the  Journal    and   Courier 

A  50-year-old  historian  from  Ohio  has  written  a  heck  of  a  book  that  will 
interest  many  Lafayette-area  students  of  railroads,  Abraham  Lincoln  or  the 
Civil  War.  The  author  is  Scott  Trostel,  and  his  illustrated  volume  is  The 
Lincoln   Funeral    Train . 

"This  book,"  he  says,  "takes  a  close-up  look  at  the  human  side  along  the 
route  as  well  as  the  route  itself,  the  railroad  cars,  locomotives,  trains 
and  the  tremendous  logistics  required  to  make  the  1,700-mile  journey  from 
Washington  D.C.,  to  Springfield,  111." 

The  entourage  left  Washington  on  April  21  and  reached  Springfield  on  May  3. 
It  went  from  Indianapolis  to  Chicago  on  May  1,  1865,  and  rolled  through 
Lafayette  about  3:30  a.m. 

The  Lafayette   Courier   gave  the  dead-of -night  event  but  a  few  short 
sentences : 

"The  funeral  train  passed  through  this  city  on  time  this  morning. 
Notwithstanding  the  positive  announcement  that  it  would  stop  a  moment,  there 
was  large  crowd  at  Market  space  and  along  Fifth  Street. 

"Traveling  at  five  miles  per  hour  the  train  passed  through  to  the  tolling  of 
church  bells.  [A  local  military  band]  played  a  funeral  dirge.  ...  Men  stood 
uncovered  and  in  respectful  silence.  Many  were  effected  to  tears." 

Logistics 

One  needs  to  keep  in  mind  how,  in  Civil  War  times,  trains  were  crude  and 
undependable,  lacking  constant  communication  and  safety  devices.  The  steam 
locomotives  used  wood  for  fuel  and  made  frequent  water  stops.  Rails  were  of 
iron  and  subject  to  rapid  wear. 

Several  trains  made  up  the  Lincoln  funeral  cortege.  At  times  as  many  as  four 
moved  in  unison  on  separate  legs  of  the  journey.  The  telegraph  was  the  most 
advanced  form  of  communication.  The  speed  of  trains  averaged  2  0  mph . 

In  most  instances  there  were  two  trains  for  Lincoln.  The  first,  towed  by  a 
"pilot  engine, "  essentially  ran  interference  for  the  actual  train  bearing 
the  remains  of  Lincoln  and  of  his  son  William  or  "Willie"  (1850-1862)  .  The 
latter's  grave  in  Washington,  D.C.,  had  been  reopened  and  the  casket  placed 
on  the  train  so  that  father  and  son  could  be  buried  together  in  Springfield. 

The  funeral  train  proper  consisted  of  a  locomotive  and  tender  followed  by 
eight  to  10  cars,  with  the  specially  built  42 -foot  car  "United  States" 
always  at  the  end  containing  a  stove,  armed  guards  and  the  two  caskets. 

In  The  Lincoln  Funeral  Train,  Trostel  lists  about  20  different  pilot  engines 
and  another  20  funeral  train  locomotives  having  been  put  to  use  as  the 
entourage  moved  from  one  railroad  company's  jurisdiction  to  the  next  across 
Maryland,  Pennsylvania,  New  Jersey,  New  York,  Ohio,  13  counties  in  Indiana 
and  seven  in  Illinois. 


Through  Indiana 

It's  a  well  planned,  well  organized  book;  and  with  its  subject  matter 
contains  a  general  appeal  to  anyone  living  along  the  route  of  the  funeral 
train.  It  entered  Indiana  at  about  3  a.m.  on  April  3  0  and  reached 
Indianapolis  at  7  a.m.  Most  of  that  day  was  devoted  to  ceremonies,  including 
placement  of  the  casket  for  public  visitation  in  the  Indiana  Statehouse. 
Heavy  rain  forced  cancellation  of  a  number  of  outdoor  events . 

The  pilot  engine  then  left  Indianapolis  at  11:50  p.m.  on  April  30.  The  plan 
called  for  it  to  reach  Augusta  at  12:30  a.m.  on  May  1,  Zionsville  at  12:47, 
Whitestown  at  1:07,  Lebanon  at  1:30,  Hazelrigg  at  1:55,  Thorntown  at  2:10, 
Colfax  at  2:25,  Clarks  Hill  at  2:40,  Stockwell  at  2:50,  Culver's  Station  at 
3,  Lafayette  at  3:35,  Battle  Ground  at  3:55,  Brookston  at  4:15,  Chalmers  at 
4:25,  Reynolds  at  4:45,  Bradford  (Monon)  at  5:08,  Francesville  at  5:35, 
Medaryville  at  5:50,  San  Pierre  at  6:15,  Wanatah  at  7  a.m.  and  on  to  Park 
Place  Station  in  Chicago  at  10:50  a.m.  on  May  1. 

This  segment  of  the  trip  was  complicated  because  three  railroad  companies 
were  involved.  Trostel  notes: 

"Train  times  were  among  the  first  problem  to  be  worked  out.  In  1865  there 
was  no  such  thing  as  standard  time  zones .  Each  railroad  selected  its  own 
local  time,  the  real  problem  being  that  even  though  two  railroads  might 
operate  into  the  same  town,  their  published  times  could  vary  to  20  minutes 
even  with  trains  pulling  into  adjacent  tracks  at  the  same  instant.  ...  To 
each  railroad  fell  the  duty  of  decorating  their  own  locomotives  and 
selecting  crewmen." 

For  the  64  miles  between  Indianapolis  and  Lafayette,  the  Lafayette  & 
Indianapolis,  presided  over  by  Lafayette  businessman  William  F.  Reynolds, 
chose  the  locomotive  "Boone"  and  engineer  Thomas  Collen  for  the  pilot  train, 
the  locomotive  "Stockwell"  and  engineer  Charles  Lamb  for  the  funeral  train. 

At  Lebanon  at  1:30  a.m.,  according  to  newspaper  accounts,  "Both  town  and 
country  were  gathered  to  honor  the  dead.  Lamps,  torches  and  bonfires  sent 
their  brilliant  light  about  the  assemblage.  Drooped  flags  were  dressed  in 
mourning.  A  beautiful  arch  of  evergreens  and  roses  was  erected  under  which 
the  cars  passed." 

Further  up  the  tracks  at  Hazelrigg  and  Thorntown  "people  were  standing  at 
the  depot  and  along  the  margins  of  the  track.  Bonfires  lit  the  night.  ...  At 
Clarks  Hill  a  crowd  assembled  at  the  station,  many  carrying  lanterns" 

Bonfires  and  lamps  lit  the  scene,  too,  when  the  train  passed  through 
Stockwell  and  on  to  Culver  Station  and  Lafayette.  In  Lafayette,  where 
Lincoln's  inauguration  train  had  stopped  in  February  1861,  the  pilot  and 
funeral  train  in  1865  switched  to  the  Louisville,  New  Albany  &  Chicago 
locomotive  "Rocket"  and  an  engineer  named  Rhodes,  and  to  the  engine 
"Persian"  and  engineer  A.  Rupert. 

Trostel  wrote  that  about  300  people  awaited  the  train  at  Battle  Ground  and 
waved  flags.  The  train  rolled  by  Brookston  and  Chalmers  as  dawn  began  to 
break.  Farm  families  from  up  to  20  miles  distant  viewed  the  train  at 
Reynolds  in  early  daylight. 

NEXT:  Sesquicentennial  opportunities  in  2  003. 

Kriebel,  retired  editor  of  the  Journal    and   Courier,    may  be  contacted  at  30 


Wildcat  Bluffs  Road,  Lafayette,  IN  47905-8449;  telephone  589-8922;  e-mail 
tejas30@aol . com 

Copyright  ®  2002,  Federated  Publications,  Inc.  A  Gannett  Site.  Use  of  this 
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